


Crownless Queens

by TheAnimangaGirl



Series: The Amell Chronicles [20]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Anora Mac Tir - Freeform, Gen, Loyalty, What happened to her?, closing circles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-08-27 14:57:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8406103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAnimangaGirl/pseuds/TheAnimangaGirl
Summary: Every year the Hero of Ferelden comes to Anora to ask her question. The answer had remained the same for the last six years. Will this year be different?





	

**Author's Note:**

> This occurs before Chapter 3 of 'A reason to Fight' but can work as a stand alone. I like Anora, but her path overlapped with my Warden , otherwise she would be Queen.

Anora Mac Tir was a very proud woman. By all common sense she should have remained Queen of Ferelden.  That common sense flew off the window the moment his father laid death in the throne room and an insufferable nobody took the helm of her beloved country. She was alive living in small but comfortable castle in the heart of Denerim, six years had passed and she remained in limbo. She couldn’t be killed lest she became a martyr to those opposed to the King. But she couldn’t leave Denerim if she did not swear loyalty to the King.

Something she had decided against again and again every year. Every year she had a visit from the Hero of Ferelden, the variable in her otherwise constant life plan. It had been the Hero who had challenged her Father, selecting Alistair as her Champion. A wise move, had she battled and defeated her father and just placed Alistair on the throne he would have looked like a weak and puppet king, by defeating him himself he had proven the Landsmeet that not only he was willingly taking the crown, but that he was willing to fight for it.

She sighted, the blasted Hero will come, they’ll have tea, probe each other and then the Hero will ask a question. To which Anora will always reply as a no. It was a routine. The same routine of the last six years. Two years ago she realized the Mage didn’t intend of poison her tea, that’s when she began drinking it. One year ago she dared to eat the cookies she brought, so at least she wasn’t starving during this utterly pointless meeting.

She began to hear movement outside the living room. Lo and behold the Hero of Ferelden was in front of her. But something was different. She looked sleepless, tired, she wasn’t wearing her usual Arlessa dress, instead she was wearing a Grey Warden Light Armor. That was , most unusual, she had gained a reputation of wearing only the heaviest armors. Maybe that was it, maybe she had come to kill her, finally.

Although she didn’t approve the thought something must have happened for deciding to eliminate her. She was not going down without a fight, she was he Father’s daughter….

“Your Ladyship” she courted.

Well at least she was going to die with some dignity. “Chancellor” she said quietly.

The woman gave a long sight. “ _Former_ Chancellor”

To say Anora was in shock was an understatement, why on Earth would Amell leave her most precious position. She tried again.

“Arlessa Amell…”

“ _Former_ Arlessa” she said in a quiet voice. Anora stopped her embroidery to see her in the eye. What on Earth was happening, she thought the last possible option.

“Your Majes….”

Amell stopped her with a hand gesture.

“Just Warden, if you need to use titles your Ladyship”

Amell had Anora’s complete attention.

“Are we under attack? Is it a coup, because you must know I am not behind it…” she would not be killed by some fools that decide to wage war in her name.

“I know, your Ladyship, worry not, neither Ferelden nor the Crown is under attack, there just had been circumstances….”

“Circumstances?”

“I will cut the chase” she said bluntly sitting in the chair across the former Queen. the fire crackled in the background giving the meeting an ominous atmosphere. “I am leaving Ferelden” said the tired Hero. “I don’t know if I’ll ever come back”

“Why?” asked Anora dryly. She won’t allow her surprise to color her tone.

“I found an ancient text regarding the Blight and the very first Wardens, I may be able to search for a Cure to the Taint”

Ah , the Taint, the curse of every Warden. Another reason Alistair was from her perspective ill-suited for the crown, his time was running out. Anora narrowed her eyes, she was no fool she knew something must have happened to catapult this. Maybe Alistair’s health was deteriorating...

“I will ask you the question I ask you every year” said Amell interrupting Anora’s musings. ”Before you answer you need to know, Eamon has been named Chancellor in my place, and there are talks about you.”

Anora decided to listen before asking.

“You are a hot topic in every Landsmeet. You still have supporters, though not as many as six years ago. You are the former Queen, you have influence, not to mention that you are a Terryna, if you are still in Denerim is because you are stubborn and won’t bend your knee toward Alistair…” Anora nodded. She had trustworthy men and woman managing Gwaren, she knew people asked for her to return. she was a Mac Tir, she belonged in Gwaren. “But consider this a last warning” said Amell gravelly. “I am asking, no, begging you to swear the damn oath, because the moment I leave Denerim you _will_ have an accident.”

“You are insinuating that Eamon would be as foolish as to kill me?”

“I am not insinuating, I am telling you. Amaranthine’s vote has swayed your execution multiple times in the Landsmeet. With me gone , the new Chancellor might decide you have lived long enough, and the moment you expire blood will flow here and in Gwaren, so I am begging you Anora, at least consider the oath, not for Alistair, not for me, but for Ferelden. When you die it will spark discontent, the Landsmeet will be chaos it could trigger a Civil War? Is that what you want? For Ferelden to burn after surviving the Blight?”

Anora was very, very silent. She was well aware of her own mortality, and her fragile position but she was betting on the long run, that one day  they would let her go without swearing anything to the murderer of her father.

“You are asking a tall order, Warden”

“I know”

“I will answer your question if you allow me to ask one” she said measuring the Warden in front of her

“Anything” responded Amell in earnest.

“Why didn’t you killed me right after Alistair’s coronation? People loved you and him, my death would have been quieted”

“Despite what you think Anora, I have the utmost respect for you”

Anora rides one delicate eyebrow in disbelief.

“I am honest, you are a competent administrator, I have no doubt in my mind that you would have been fantastic for Ferelden”

“Then why am I not wearing a Crown?”

Amell laughed humorlessly. “Anora, the only thing that swayed my vote in the Landsmeet was not even the fact that you sent me to Fort Drakon” Amell traced a scar in her wrist softly. “Common sense told me that I should have married you to Alistair, that way you both would have legitimized each other’s hold on the throne”

“And why didn’t you?”

“Because I am selfish” admitted Amell “I don’t know if you even understand what life in a circle is , you are on your own, nobody trust each other, you are always under watch being told day and night that your existence is a sin against the Maker. You learn to hold to the things you have and to fight tooth and nail for them.”

“You gambled the future of the nation , just to not let go of him?” she asked incredulously.

“Yes. and I will do it again, for me Alistair is first”

“That’s an almost ridiculous amount of loyalty”

“Love, I love him to the fade and back, I will do anything for him, which is why I am here swallowing my pride and begging you to make the oath, if there is war he _will_ fight and if he dies because of that, do believe me your Ladyship, Ferelden _will_ burn.”

“You speak of treason” she said gravely. Should this conversation were to be heard, both of them would be sent to the Gallows, or worse.

“Treason implies plotting against the government and the crown, both things that would be gone if Alistair died”

Anora stayed silent for a moment. “Had you been a male noble I might have married you”

“Now that’s a bold statement, your Ladyship”

Anora studied the mage, she saw no hesitation in her steel frame. The two crownless queens, both with opposite approaches. Anora would have sent Alistair to the fire for the good of Ferelden, Amell would have set Ferelden on fire for the good of Alistair. Two opposites, but they both knew that their resolve was not hermetic. Anora would have learnt to care for Alistair for the good of Ferelden and Amell would have saved Ferelden if Alistair had asked her as a dying wish.

Anora gave a long deep sight.

“You give a compelling argument Warden, I as you do not want to see blood run”

Amell nodded. And took papers from the bag she was carrying.

“You will need to sign and seal it, and probably declare it in the next Landsmeet”

“I know the protocol” responded Anora dryly.

“You will have anything at your disposition, if you intend to return to Gwaren”

“I know”

Anora read the long paper, she signed and sealed it with her ring. The paper was official, she had bent her knee for the good of Ferelden, she wondered what would her father had thought. He did bended knee to King Maric, who was less than competent in his early years according to her father’s stories.

Amell stored the papers and prepared to leave.

“One last question, Warden” said Anora as Amell reached for the pommel of the door.

“Anything” replied Amell.

“How far were you?”

Amell turned around, grief shown in her features. “How did you know?”

“I’ve been there, Cailan and I…” she tailed off, the implication hung in the air.

“Three months” said Amell her voice thick and heavy.

“I am sorry” said Anora and meant it. She had known the moment she first saw the Warden enter the room, she had worn that same face more than once many years ago.

“Thank you” replied Amell with a hard face “One question” asked Amell, “Does it stops hurting?”

“No, but you learn to soften it” replied the former Queen.

“I see”

“Safe travels, Warden”

“Likewise, your Ladyship”


End file.
